With more than 12,000 exhibits, featuring plant specimens, fossils and dinosaurs, the Harvard Museum of Natural History (hmnh.harvard.edu) is a stimulating place for kids. Special weekend programs target middle-school children and their families, with renowned authors, scientists and Harvard faculty offering educational and entertaining programs on their latest works and discoveries. Visit the dinosaurs in Romer Hall, which include a 42-foot long kronosaurus, a plateosaurus and a triceratops. The museum also offers wide-ranging out-of-school, after-school and vacation programs for youngsters.
Young Einsteins and their families will not want to miss a visit to the MIT Museum (web.mit.edu/museum), where permanent exhibitions include Robots and Beyond; Holography: the Light Fantastic; and Gestural Engineering. The museum also features cutting-edge research from MIT's scientists and researchers in its mission to showcase its work to the public and stimulate interest in the sciences. During the school year, the Museum Education Department offers diverse interactive workshops and activities for children and their families.
The National Park Service manages Longfellow House (nps.gov), which was the headquarters of General George Washington during the Siege of Boston in 1775, as well as the home of poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in the 1800s. Tours of Longfellow House are offered seasonally. The grounds and historic garden are accessible year-round and activities include period-costume recreations of life during the times of Washington and Longfellow. The site offers educational programs in history and literature that cater to families and can be custom designed for school group visits.
The whole family can get up close and personal with the Charles River on a guided canoe or kayak tour. Or rent equipment and go on an unguided family adventure. The nine-mile stretch of the river in Cambridge has no current, which makes it a great location to teach beginners and children.
